Monday, August 31, 2009
I like big pots
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Back from Penland
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Thanks Catherine!
This is Catherine talking to a gallery visitor
and Ronan talking to some of his fans! Congratulations everyone, there are some fine pottery lovers out there! I wish I had better photos for you but there was barely time for me to snap these between ringing up sales at the register.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Words to lvie by
He had a great depth of character, respected others, was never needy, led by example, worked hard, loved his country and was impeccably honest. He was frugal with himself and generous to others. He knew right from wrong without needing a law or someone to tell him and was a wonderful listener who genuinely appreciated other people's talents and skills. His broad, easy smile lit up a room when he entered and his peaceful spirit welcomed people into his world. When asked to give advice, he had a unique quality that allowed him to do so without ever passing judgment.
Barbara, you were very blessed!!
A Few More
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
These are a few of my favorite things
Amy Sanders
Jennifer Mecca wrote a little note on the bottom of this bowl about thinking of summer camp in July, when she made the piece. I really want this bowl!! I remember her blogging about that.
Michael Kline, Bulldog Pottery in the background. My photos of Bulldog Pottery's pieces did not do them justice so I left them out. You have to see their work in person to appreciate how fabulous it is. Especially the wall pieces. Glaze genius!
Amy again, I remember when I lived in Charlotte seeing these on the bisque shelves at Clayworks and loving them. They have a very timeless quality.
Gillian Clarke, there are more great pieces by Gillian but my photos had no depth of field and portions were out of focus. Not fair to the pieces to show a bad photo! Especially with her red colors, unreal!
I also want this dish by Susan Feagin. If I were the kind of person to rip off other potters, this is the dish I would totally rip off! It is the coolest thing. Maybe I can just be influenced somehow by it.
Shoko Taruyama, exquisite...........
There is lots, lots more, come to the reception and support these amazing potters this week!!!!You can check out the info at Claymakers website, there is a link on my sidebar.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Crazy Monday
So then the day went downhill. On the way home I saw a bunch of trays and buckets behind Whole Foods that are perfect for glazes, chemicals, and necessary items for a pottery studio, and I am a world class dumpster diver, so I tossed them in the car. And then the odors came. By the time I got home I thought I was going to vomit fiercely! No wonder, checked the labels on the bins, cod fillets and frozen shrimp. What a smell these plastics developed after sitting out in 90 degree weather in a dumpster. So my car is airing out and I have been scrubbing stinky buckets trying hard to convince myself that I am doing a good thing to reuse instead of running out to that nasty Walmart and buying brand new, nice smelling plastic!
And then, the day went back up to a grand day, I am invited to be an artist at the Duke Homestead Arts Festival, sponsored by the NC Arts Council and John Dee Holeman is going to be playing there! Gerry photographed him long ago when he was doing a story on the Musicmaker Relief Foundation. He is just so great. Here is the blurb they sent me.
Tobacco Harvest and Hornworm Arts Festival
Saturday, Sept. 12 at the Duke Homestead
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Put on your bib overalls and head to Duke Homestead for the annual Tobacco Harvest and Hornworm Arts Festival on Saturday, Sept. 12. The day starts with demonstrations of traditional tobacco harvesting, curing, and stringing down at the barn with Little River Cloggers performing on stage. Enter the hornworm race or the MoonPie eating contest or just pick up some produce from the Farmer's Market area. Save some room for homemade ice cream. In the afternoon relax to Piedmont blues played by legendary Durham guitarist and singer John Dee Holeman, hear the sounds of the only tobacco auction left in the Bull City, and browse through artists' wares including jewelry, pottery and acrylic paintings in the historic area. Bring your instrument for the bluegrass jam session at 3 p.m.! 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Thanks everyone
Friday, August 14, 2009
Happy 40th Anniversary Woodstock!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Random thoughts
I really like this photo. Gerry shot this when we were down at my mom's house. Makes me want to read Johnathon Livingston Seagull again, I loved that book. I'm starting to get into the summer is over, fall is coming mode. We went shopping for school supplies yesterday. I love doing that. And a storm is brewing out in the ocean, I also love hurricane season for some odd reason. (I know, you don't have to say anything, but I do love a good storm). I'm sitting here this morning collecting my to do list for the day. There is so much I want to do and can't quite get it sorted in my head. First, I am getting the raku down exactly where I want it, I have the glazes I want, I have the pots I want to make for those glazes, done. Except that I will come back from Penland with a whole new wish list, I'm sure. Second, I have a bag of Zella for ^10 that I am making these big bowls with. So, what to do about the glazing? I still haven't settled on a glaze I like that is consistent and user friendly. I also have several glazes that I want to try so I need to do some mixing and testing. For cone 10 I think I would like big bowls, mugs, and teapots. Those are the things I enjoy making the most. And last, I have a whole bunch of earthenware that I need to do something with and I have color in my head for that. But that means mixing up a bunch of slip and doing more tests with underglazes.I would also like big bowls and flower pots in earthenware and maybe cups of some sort. So, do I really want to have this many things going on? I am leaning towards leaving cone 10 for a bit and see if the Raku/Earthenware combo works best together. I'm just thinking about a table full of wares that make sense, instead of a table that looks like the potter needs to take Lithium or something. Do other people have this problem? How do you settle on just one thing and do it well, when there are so many things to love out there! I just need to figure out what works for me, but I'm not quite there yet, sigh......................So, Here is a nice poem for the day, have a good one!
Echoes fade and memories die:
Autumn frosts have slain July.
Still she haunts me, phantomwise
Alice moving under skies
Never seen by waking eyes.
Children yet, the tale to hear,
Eager eye and willing ear,
Lovingly shall nestle near.
In a Wonderland they lie,
Dreaming as the days go by,
Dreaming as the summers die:
Ever drifting down the stream --
Lingering in the golden gleam --
Life what is it but a dream?
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Bowls
Bowls seems to be a theme today. Paul Jessop, Joy Tanner and Patricia Griffin all have bowl posts this morning, and now here is mine. I'm taking a workshop with Susan Filley at Claymakers to make bigger pots. Yesterday Susan threw a 10 lb bowl and a 15 lb bowl demo. Susan's throwing skills are awesome and every time I take a class with her, my skills improve greatly. I start out being very confused and have to discard some bad habits, but after a while with Susan in my head, I get better pots.
Trish, in the green shirt, was at John Britt's kiln building workshop with me. The bricks in that kiln are all straight thanks to Trish's patient tapping! I came home and tried to absorb the three hour class and threw a bowl. Not quite as big as the 15 lb. bowl above. Mine started out being 10 lb. but after struggling to center that much clay I ended up with an 8 lb. bowl. Still, not bad, best bowl I have thrown in a long time. Now, if it will just survive my trimming. I do know one thing, I LIKE throwing big bowls!